Kicker CompVR

The Kicker CompVR subwoofer line is the most popular among all of the Kicker subwoofers. The Kicker CompVR has been around forever and is a benchmark for performance among car audio subwoofers.

Rockford Fosgate P3

Rockford Fosgate designed the P3 subwoofers to stay strong even when the bass gets hot. This Punch P3 sub features a rigid anodized aluminum cone that holds its shape through heavy play while staying light and responsive. Rockford Fosgate uses a new technique to attach the oversized rubber surround to the cone that increases the available cone area up to 25%, so this sub can push more air for even bigger bass. The aluminum cone acts as a giant heat sink, directing heat away from the copper-clad aluminum voice coils. Special venting keeps the voice coils cool, so you get incredibly consistent bass performance over time. These P3 subs feature an extended pole piece and bumped backplate that leaves more room for a heavy excursion, so it'll hit deeper lows without "bottoming out." The dual 4-ohm voice coils allow you to wire the sub for 2-ohm impedance to get maximum power output, or for 8-ohm impedance if you're using multiple subs. The P3 series subs work equally well in a sealed or ported enclosure, so you can choose the kind of bass you want for your system.

Sizes

The Kicker CompVR series comes in a 10" and 12" and 15" model. With the P3 subs, Rockford Fosgate has offered available sizing at 10", 12", and 15" as well. The two lineups feature the same sizing so everything else should line up easily for us to compare between the different categories at comparable sizing.

Voice Coils

The Kicker CompVR series come with a dual voice coil in both 2-ohm or 4-ohm configurations. These dual coils are included across all of the models in the line. Rockford Fosgate has also used a dual-coil construction. They have also included a 2-ohm or 4-ohm configuration at each size in their P3 series. There's a wide variety of choices here between ohms and sub sizing. There's plenty of options between both lineups when you're planning your installation.

Power Handling

The Kicker CompVR series features RMS power handling at both 2 and 4-ohms in the 350-500 watt range across its models. The P3 series from Rockford Fosgate offers RMS handling starting at 500 watts in it's 10" line stretching up to 600 watts at its 15" sizing. When looking at the power handling between comparable sizing, there is slightly better power handling with the P3 lineup from Rockford Fosgate.

Mounting Depth

The Kicker CompVR series features a slightly shallower mounting depth at comparable sizing over the Rockford Fosgate P3 lineup. If you're considering a space-saving design for your installation, be sure to start your search with the CompR lineup between these two options with comparable sizing.

Recommended Enclosure Size

Both manufacturers offer recommended enclosure sizing for both sealed and ported enclosures for the CompVR and P3 lines of subwoofers. For sealed enclosures, the Rockford Fosgate P3 lineup offers a slightly smaller recommended enclosure sizing over the CompVR line. For the ported enclosure sizing, the numbers are much more comparable. The recommended enclosure for the P3 line is very close to the lower end recommendation for the CompVR lineup at comparable sizing.

Recommended Amplifiers

The recommended amplifier for your subwoofers will vary greatly depending on the size and quantity of subwoofers you select for your installation. The following lists are comparisons between amplifiers for subwoofers in the same dimensions between the different models. The list begins with a factory recommendation for amps that provide enough power handling for the subwoofer(s), and then move on to our professional recommendations that may vary slightly from the factory recommendations. These Classic Car Stereo recommendations may be an amp with a higher price point that will service the subs better, or an amp that provides RMS power handling over the recommended amount which will allow you to not have to maximize the output on your amp to provide full power to your subs.

Price Points

The price points for the Rockford Fosgate P3 line are higher than the compared CompVR models in this comparison. The upgrades in cost for the better power handling of the P3 lineup are a worthy upgrade for your installation. The upgrade is recommended by us, if you have the money available for your installation.

In Conclusion

Rockford Fosgate's P3 subs feature amazing power handling at comparable sizing for their price point. Because the Kicker CompVR has been updated to the CompR model, the price point for the Kicker CompVR models is quite low, making it a better-valued purchase here. While these were a long-running standard for the Kicker company, the upgrades in materials, technology, RMS power handling, and available sizing all make the Rockford Fosgate P3 subs the go-to choice here between the two.